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WHY IT'S DANGEROUS
EVIDENCE

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THE RISKS

Why a BESS fire is not like any other fire

The dangers are real, documented, and specific to this location. This isn't speculation — it's what the Hearing Examiner's own decision found in the record.

The evacuation zone - and what it means for Rochester

Two distances. Both matter. Neither is adequately addressed in Convergent's emergency plan.
BESS

WHAT THESE ZONES MEAN

  • 330 ft: EPA recommended isolation zone

    for BESS fires. First respondersshould not enter without gas masks.Several families live inside this zone.

  • ~2 miles: Moss Landing documented reach

    of toxic battery chemicals in soil and water after January 2025 fire. That's most of Rochester.

  • Convergent's plan: let it burn.

    Their own emergency protocol says do not fight the fire directly. Let the batteries burn out. That fire can last 72+ hours.

THE SPECIFIC THREATS

Three things at risk - and why

72+

HRS A CHEMICAL FIRE CAN BURN
Your safety & your air

Lithium-ion battery fires cannot be extinguished with water. When thermal runaway begins — one cell overheating and triggering the next in a chain reaction — the only option is containment. Convergent's own plan calls for letting the fire burn itself out. During that time, hydrogen fluoride and other toxic gases are released. The EPA recommends a 330-foot exclusion zone for first responders. Several Rochester families live closer than that.

CAT 1

CRITICAL AQUIFER DESIGNATION
Your wells & your water

This site sits on a Category I Critical Aquifer Recharge Area — the most sensitive groundwater classification Thurston County uses. Most residents here rely on private wells. Fire suppression runoff and toxic particulate fallout from a BESS fire can contaminate groundwater. After the Moss Landing fire in California, elevated metal concentrations were found in a waterway three kilometers downwind. There is no contingency plan for replacing well water if contamination occurs.

20YR

FACILITY LIFESPAN
Your land & its value

After the Moss Landing fire in January 2025, properties in the surrounding area became difficult to sell. Industrial battery facilities — especially those with a fire history — depress property values in rural residential and agricultural areas. This facility has a 20-year lifespan. In that time, batteries degrade and failure risk increases. And once a BESS has operated on a site, remediation of any contamination falls on future property owners.

The fire department problem. West Thurston Regional Fire Authority has no fire hydrants near this site. Water would have to be trucked in. The department currently lacks specialized BESS training and equipment. A multi-day fire watch would tie up the entire department — leaving the rest of Rochester unable to call for help. Fire Chief Nathan Drake said all of this under oath, twice, at public hearings. The county approved it anyway.